Route 9 Active Transportation Conceptual Plan

The Route 9 Active Transportation Conceptual Plan resulted from a collaborative effort of a five village consortium of Dobbs Ferry, Hastings-on-Hudson, Irvington, Sleepy Hollow, and Tarrytown (collectively, the “Village Consortium”). Even though these villages are connected by Route 9, the Hudson, Metro-North Railroad, and the Bee-Line, Route 9 also serves to divide many community residents from each other and from valued community assets.

To pay for the project, the Village Consortium received a $150,000 grant from the New NY Bridge Project Community Benefit Fund. The project is intended to promote the historic, cultural and natural resources of the area while enhancing access to the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, accommodating a variety of transportation options, and improving traffic safety for all modes. It creates solutions that support local economies and tourism, and complements improved waterfront access and riverfront redevelopment.

The Plan

The Route 9 Active Transportation Conceptual Design Plan was finalized in November 2018. The Plan outlines specific improvements to Route 9 (Broadway) over the entire corridor, including in Irvington.

Endorsement by the Board of Trustees

In 2019, the Irvington Board of Trustees adopted a resolution supporting the concept of dedicated bike lanes along Route 9, but expressed significant concerns about their impacts. The full resolution of support is shown below:

RESOLUTION 2019-168
SUPPORT FOR THE ROUTE 9 ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR STUDY 

Mayor Smith offered the following resolution, which was seconded by Trustee Gilliland and adopted:

WHEREAS, interested residents and officials from the Villages of Hastings-on-Hudson, Dobbs Ferry, Irvington, Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow (the “Rivertowns”) have been working together since 2016 as a Steering Committee jointly studying traffic, safety, pedestrian and bicycle access conditions in connection with their shared “Route 9 Corridor;” and

WHEREAS, the new Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge includes a dedicated bicycle/pedestrian lane scheduled to open in 2019, bringing with it new transportation and recreational opportunities to Rivertowns residents and a significant increase in bicycle traffic on Route 9 from neighboring areas of Westchester, areas west of the Hudson River and New York City; and

WHEREAS, by Resolution, dated July 20, 2016, the Irvington Board of Trustees approved the submission of an application by Sustainable Westchester on behalf of the Steering Committee and the five participating villages for a $150,000 grant from the New NY Bridge Community Benefits Program to fund a proposed Active Transportation Corridor Study and Plan along U.S. Route 9 in the Rivertowns and interconnecting with the planned bicycle-pedestrian lane on the New NY Bridge (the “Project”); and

WHEREAS, after the application was favorably received and the grant was awarded, the Steering Committee, through the administrative support of the Village of Irvington, procured the services of transportation consultant Nelson\Nygaard to perform a conceptual study evaluating the potential for implementing a shared roadway strategy along Route 9 (the “Study”); and

WHEREAS, the Study included extensive public outreach, including five open-house sessions, a public survey and the maintenance of a website to share information with and receive comments from the general public; and

WHEREAS, the Study demonstrated the potential to build a bike-pedestrian connection between the five Villages and the new Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, and examined related issues concerning safety, transit access, traffic calming, walkability, sidewalks, crosswalk configurations, parking availability and motor vehicle level of service; and

WHEREAS, the implementation of the Project over the full Project area is expected to result in significant health and lifestyle enhancements for Rivertowns residents and increased tourism and economic benefit for the area merchants; and

WHEREAS, the Steering Committee and Nelson\Nygaard convened a public meeting to present the completed Study to the public at Mercy College on November 17, 2018 and the completed study and other plan documents continue to be available to the public on route9active.org; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees has reviewed the Study and agrees in principle with that the goals contained therein are worthy of further consideration and pursuit; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees supports the concept of dedicated bike lanes, but has significant concerns about their viability and potential impact on traffic and pedestrian safety throughout the Route 9 corridor in the Village of Irvington, including but not necessarily limited to: 

  • The traffic impact, particularly on the full length of North Broadway and on South Broadway from Main Street to Harriman Road
  • Loss of parking near the business district
  • Impact on and interaction with driveways from adjacent bike lanes; and

FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees encourages future development of the Route 9 Active Corridor plan, with a keen focus on vehicle and pedestrian safety.